With Easter approaching in a few weeks, I wanted to share with you a few of my family’s favorites.

I always like to try a recipe as it is written and then use your imagination and your own taste preference to make improvements and make it your very own. Both of these recipes are my own.

Festive Cranberry Salad

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

1 can (16 oz.) whole- berry cranberry sauce

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped pecans

red food coloring, optional

1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip

In a bowl, combine milk and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in the pineapple, cranberry sauce, marshmallows, pecans and a few drops of food coloring. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch dish. Freeze until firm, 4 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

Andy’s Note: If you are carrying this dish to a special event, please cut into squares and place on a beautiful crystal tray, surrounded by lettuce. This salad is so easy and so “pretty and pink”! One reason that I like to make this for a holiday is that it can be made ahead and frozen. My freezers are my BEST friends!

Pineapple Au Gratin

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks (in its own juice)

1 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (please grate your own)

12 round buttery crackers

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Mix flour and sugar. Drain and reserve pineapple juice.

Toss pineapple with flour-sugar mixture. Stir in cheese. Place in a 11 x 7-inch casserole dish sprayed with Pam. Drizzle small amount of juice over top of casserole.

Crumble crackers over the top of casserole and drizzle with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until crackers begin to brown.

Andy’s Note: This recipe comes from Alabaster, Alabama.

My sweet cousin’s wife, Allison Smith, always brought this to our family gatherings. My sister, among many other family members, loves this dish. This is a must try!

I am so looking forward to warm days, cool nights, and vegetables growing in the garden

There is not anything as relaxing as a Southern summer!

Happy Cooking,

– Andy Bedwell

“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at Little Faces Doll Shop, Alabama Gift Company, and the Messenger office on Broad Street.